OK, my first mistake was watching part of the re-broadcast of Meet the Press.
Chuck “Peter Principle” Todd sets my teeth on edge whenever I make the mistake of watching him.
But when I got home Sunday and switched on the TV there he was.
I would normally turn the channel to BBC America or something else innocuous before switching the TV off, specifically to avoid this very experience, but sleep deprivation had put me off my routine. When I got in I was rushing to put groceries in the fridge and fix dinner because it was after 7pm and I hadn’t had anything to eat during an exhausting 12 hour workday. So when I turned on the TV and MSNBC popped up I left it.
That was my first mistake.
My blood was boiling within moments.
Chuck “False Equivalence” Todd started by asking Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer about the 2013 change with respect to judicial nominee filibusters. “Why did you go along with it, if you regret doing it?”
Schumer calmly told him that the 2013 rule change specifically exempted Supreme Court nominees.
Todd should have remembered this anyway, and realized that the premise of his question about the 2013 regret had nothing to do with Gorsuch.
Schumer went on to say that having a 60 vote standard is the only way to encourage a President to nominate a mainstream justice who can get votes from both parties.
Then Chuck “I can’t connect interrelated statements” Todd said there was no rule that S.Ct. nominees had to reach 60 votes, and nothing about advice and consent requires 60 votes.
But yes, there is such a rule! It’s the filibuster rule that exists today and existed in 2013 and has existed since 1917! The Senate has been functioning as a supermajoritarian body since the 70s. In fact the filibuster threshold used to be 67 votes; it was changed to 60 back when Chuck “I have no institutional memory” Todd was two years old.
Chuck “False Premise” Todd then asked why should McConnell work with him because Dems “changed the rules first” when you decided to “do this”, and repeated the reference to Schumer saying last week and two months ago that the 2013 rule change was a mistake he regretted.
Schumer patiently explained again that he 2013 rule change did not apply to Supreme Court nominees, and he didn’t regret leaving S.Ct. nominees out of the 2013 rule change! Duh!
Then Schumer quoted McConnell himself saying that in the Senate it takes 60 votes on controversial matters, and that has been the tradition of the Senate for a long time.
Chuck “I don’t listen to the answers when I ask interview questions” Todd came back to the same accusation a THIRD TIME: “then why did you change the rules in the first place? I go back to this because now we’re going down the slippery slope...” Oh my dear sweet Jesus. What in the world is he getting at? Is this supposed to be some kind of gotcha question? He asks “in ten years do you think the filibuster will still be alive”, but no one on either side has proposed ending the filibuster for legislative matters! It is an important way the Senate distinguishes itself from the House, and is essential to Senate identity!
Schumer said that Gorsuch was out of the mainstream, a choice made by the Heritage Foundation. Chuck “I really am not capable of seeing the difference between the parties” Todd said that everybody has interest groups on their side that does these things. No! No! Schumer said, but could not get a word in edgewise. No! No! I yelled at the TV from my kitchen at the same time, with my head in the refrigerator trying to make all the perishables fit in the freezer and on the shelves.
The whole segment was a disaster.
Let’s be clear, everyone.
Republicons started this. They started it on inauguration day 2009 when racist Republicons decided to filibuster anything and everything that would help the black president succeed.
Barack Obama was duly elected without the help of a hostile foreign government, and Senate Rcons challenged every single piece of legislation he proposed without regard to how much it would help the country recover from the disastrous Bush43 years.
Chuck “I don’t try very hard to hide what side I am on” Todd was attempting to equate the 2013 action, taken to circumvent the R filibuster of DOZENS of highly qualified lower court picks (who in fact had sufficient bipartisan support if a vote had ever been called)
with Dems filibustering ONE lifetime appointment in the court of last resort of a man who
- expected Alphonse Maddin to freeze to death rather than disobey his corporate masters
- was wary of expressing unqualified agreement with the most foundational inclusive justice cases of the last 60 years (Brown v Board, Griswold v Connecticut, Roe v Wade, Obergefell v Hodges)
- has so much entitlement and privilege and so little personal integrity he is happy to accept a nomination that he knows full well was stolen from the previous president (and the previous president’s nominee) in order to be given to him
The entire interview segment was focused on a rule change Dems did in 2013 that has nothing to do with Gorsuch.
The entire tone of the interview segment seemed to be blaming Dems for something they did not do (we did not change the filibuster rules with respect to SCt appointments in 2013, and did not intend to).
The implication of the interview was blaming the upcoming R rule change on what the Dems did in 2013, instead of holding Rcons themselves accountable for the more drastic action they are proposing to take later this week.
I went back and found the interview with McConnell that immediately preceded the one with Schumer. Chuck “I challenge Dems but let Rs say whatever they want” Todd had let Mitch McConnell’s “they broke the rules to change the rules” talking point stand in a previous interview without any pushback.
Excuse me, If Ds “broke the rules to change the rules” in 2013, by doing a rule change without a 2/3 majority (a 2/3 vote is supposed to be required to change the rules of the Senate in the middle of a legislative session), then aren’t Republicons “breaking the rules to change the rules” in 2017? Because they sure AF are not going to get a two-thirds supermajority for their nuclear option. Harry Reid may have done a procedural run-around in 2013, but is that the same as “breaking the rules”?
He also let McConnell get away with saying “The American people decided they wanted Donald Trump to make the nomination, not Hillary Clinton”. But obviously the American people decided they wanted Barack Obama to make the nomination, not John McCain or Mitt Rmoney or any other Rcon when they elected him in 2008 and re-elected him in 2012. So far I have not heard ONE pundit D or R point out this obvious fact on any show.
Republicons have been all over hateradio and cable TV with these talking points and other bloviations about “this is unprecedented” and “this has never happened before” and “is breaking over 200 years of Senate tradition.”
You know what else has never happened before?
- Claiming that there was some kind of rule preventing a vote on a nominee during a presidential election year.
- Announcing gleefully that they would hold that seat open for four whole years if the American people HAD chosen HRC to make the nomination instead of DJT.
- Keeping a vacant seat on the Supreme Court for more than 11 months for partisan political reasons.
- Complaining about upperdown votes for all manner of other things while hypocritically denying Merrick Garland the hearing and vote he deserved.
Chuck “don’t expect me to keep track of details” Todd asked McConnell if he would be willing to formalize this unofficial understanding that the Republicons have with themselves (!), and vote on an agreement that going forward no Supreme Court nominations would happen “in any even numbered year”.
Are we having presidential elections in every even numbered year now?
I haven’t been able to take him seriously since he left C-SPAN.
Schumer did get one good bit of framing language out there: if you don’t have 60 votes, don’t change the rules, change the nominee.
And I heard someone else say it on another show, so the Democrats are actually attempting message discipline! That never used to happen before! I can’t say Hallelujah because it’s Lent, so “it’s about effing time” will have to do. May this be the start of more effective public communication for the Blue Team!
The 2013 rule change helped Ds fill the three empty seats on the DC Circuit and break a Republicon logjam that actually *was* unprecedented in its stubbornness.
Back in 2013 McConnell opined that Dems would regret it sooner rather than later.
Well I can say the same thing now.
It seems really obvious that Rcon desperation to get Gorsuch on the Court is going to come back to hurt them, and probably sooner than they think. Their permanent Republicon majority is slipping through their fingers and when (not if) they lose the majority the next time (2020?) they will have a very high hill to climb to ever get it back.
I am already tired of the endless Rcon refrain of “this has never happened before” as though that automatically means something horrible.
it is possible when something happens for the first time that never happened before it turns out to be a good thing. Down the road I think these rule changes will help the Blue Team.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the fallout from this turns out to be so bad that the Rs eventually try to make everyone forget they were the ones responsible for this and find some way to blame Democrats. Thanks, Obama!
But today all over Right Blogistan deplorables are crowing about Chuck “At times like this we think he’s one of us” Todd “doing his job” and “mercilessly grilling” Schumer and making Schumer “look silly”.
However, none of us knows the future.
In the words of the Turtleman himself, Republicons could regret this sooner than they think.
PREVIOUS TRUE BLUE REPORT diaries
Apr 2: Put Your Lights On
Apr 1: Blue Ribbons for 4/1/17—Dick Cheney, Richard Burr, Rick Wilson
MARCH
Mar 31: The possible reasons Flynn was refused immunity are all good for the Blue Team
Mar 30: Special Assistant Ivanka—every word she says from now on is a DJT advertising ploy
Mar 29: “It’s just that valuable” — do you know the MAIN reasons Ryan wants to pass the AHCA?
Mar 28: Nipping at their heels
Mar 27: In cheering Republicon failures, think like a surgeon
Mar 26: TBR SUNDAY—Dare we hope the tide is turning? Or is that unrealistically optimistic?
Mar 25: Sheldon Whitehouse, Al Franken, Bobby Brooks, Betsy Anderson, ACA phone callers
Mar 24: HaHaHa-Ha-Ha You’re gonna need Congressional approval and you don’t have the votes
Mar 23: Rcons hate Obamacare for selfish, greedy, racist reasons, but not enough to fix it.
Mar 22: Neil Gorsuch’s attempt to seem wide-eyed and innocent makes him look even worse
Mar 21: Using Trump as a bad example—no Trump Sleep, Trump Food or other Trump habits
Mar 20: Is DJT a compulsive liar, or out of touch with reality? Five scenarios...
Mar 19: TBR SUNDAY—A budget is a moral document—a statement of public compassion
Mar 18: Ribbons: CBO scorers, Senate Intelligence Committee, Judge Derrick Watson
Mar 17: They know DJT is lying. Here’s one sad reason they follow him anyway.
Mar 16: Mick Mulvaney's ignorant, callous, evil, Republicon definition of compassion
Mar 15: Message Discipline 101—Pushback against Rcon talking points re DJT 2005 tax return
Mar 14: Message Discipline 101—Pushback against Rcon talking points about Obamacare repeal
Mar 13: Culture, Civilization, Rural America, Working Families—the missing word is a “tell”
Mar 12: TBR SUNDAY—The Rcon definition of Christians is as wrong as the Rcon definition of Democrats.
Mar 11: Ribbons: A Day Without a Woman, Native Nations Rise, Voting Rights Act still lives
Mar 10: How to talk to people who have trouble understanding actions have consequences
Mar 9: Where’s the fire? The real reason Rs are trying to rush TrumpCare through Congress
Mar 8: Message Discipline 101: TrumpCare, RyanCare, GOPCare, DonTCare—what’s in a name?
Mar 7: How very hard it is for a woman to go a day without paid (or unpaid) work
Mar 6: Can DJT really be stumbling into the exact investigation we want?
Mar 5: TBR SUNDAY—How is it even possible that deplorables see a man of faith when they look at DJT?
Mar 4: Blue Ribbon Winners—Chris Hayes, Malcolm Nance, Cierra Fields
Mar 3: I’m glad Bannon, Conway, Carson, Sessions, Miller, et al. are in the DJT Administration
Mar 2: “In every major fire it always starts with smoke. And smoke is what kills you.”
Mar 1: Am I the only one whose skin crawled at the Carryn Owens BIRGing moment?
FEBRUARY
Feb 28: Spinspotting 101: Special Prosecutor for what? It’s so easy to answer that question
Feb 27: Spinspotting 101: I’ve seen no evidence because I haven’t looked for any evidence!
Feb 26: TBR SUNDAY—If Neil Gorsuch were a man of integrity, he would decline the S.Ct. appointment
Feb 25: True Blue Ribbons: Russia Flag trolling, Dixie Swastika grabbing, District Days demonstrating
Feb 24: There is no such thing as a compassionate conservative
Feb 23: Chief of Staff, Nat’l Security Advisor, GOP Head, President Bannon—too many hats!
Feb 22: DJT has a few questions for you—SMURF THIS POLL!
Feb 21: The end of “access journalism” means it’s time to #sendtheinterns
Feb 20: KAC lying low for now… can we banish her (and all her ilk) from the airwaves completely?
Feb 19: TBR SUNDAY—DeVos cartoon, Ruby Bridges, unearned unhappiness and childlike faith
Feb 18: Blue Ribbon Winners—Vice Adm. Harward, Melissa McCarthy, and intel whistleblowers
Feb 17: And Ain’t I an American?
Feb 16: Please tell your family and friends—If you regret your DJT vote, speak up NOW
Feb 15: R-supported forced childbirth laws deny the autonomy of women
Feb 14: What did the president know? Everything. When did he know it? From the beginning.
Feb 13: Coping with The Madness of King Donald by hoping political comedy will save us
Feb 12: TBR SUNDAY—The Poverty and Justice Bible
Feb 11: Blue Ribbon Winners—Swastika removers, Ninth Circuit Panel, and the Persisterhood!
Feb 10: The first three words of the Constitution are “We, the People” not “I, the President”
Feb 9: Who first inspired your political activism? Who inspires you now?
Feb 8: We cannot and will not be silenced—Here’s what to do if they try to silence you
Feb 7: Plain Talk Tuesday: Tell people the Affordable Care Act is the same as OBAMACARE
Feb 6: Interview Skills 101—Internalized oppression and what Ryan Lizza did right. BRAVO!
Feb 5: TBR SUNDAY—These protest signs with Bible cites will confuse and befuddle RWNJs
Feb 4: Blue Ribbon Winners—Temple B’Nai Israel, Judge Robart, CNN, Senate Phone Callers
Feb 3: Not rich, not smart, not a good businessman, not a winner—DJT is NOTHING he claims to be
Feb 2: Thursday action—Encouragement, thanks, and apologies (pick one or more)
Feb 1: July 7, 2009 to August 25, 2009 and September 25, 2009 to February 4, 2010
JANUARY
Jan 31: If you’re on overload that’s part of their plan—there’s more than one way to #resist
Jan 30: Interview Skills 101 for reporters attempting to interview KAC and other Rcons
Jan 29: TBR SUNDAY—Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness
Jan 28: Blue Ribbon Winners—Women's March participants and #NoMuslimBan demonstrators and...
Jan 27: I wish Steve Bannon would tell me to keep my mouth shut
Jan 26: Thursday Action—Have you ever written a letter to the editor? Here’s how to start
Jan 25: The Asch Conformity Study, inauguration crowds, and the importance of speaking out
Jan 24: #ResistTrumpTuesday—good news day or another paying dues day?
Jan 23: Spy the Lie 101: How to enjoy watching Rcon spokesbot interviews, even KAC!
Jan 22: TBR SUNDAY—Why I prayed for the President* today
Jan 21: The only silver lining in the midst of these clouds
Inaugural (!) diary: Stop expecting Republicons to make sense